Criminology (Applied Diploma)

APPLICATIONS NOW BEING PROCESSED THROUGH CLEARING

Applications Open: - 11th December 2025

Applications Close: - 13th February 2026

Entry Requirements: - Admission to Towers Sixth Form to study A levels or BTEC equivalent will be awarded on the basis of GCSE performance. Each subject has its own entry requirements.

How to Apply: - Please apply via KentChoices

The WJEC Level 3 Certificate in Applied Criminology equips students with knowledge and understanding of criminology, which is relevant to many job roles within the criminal justice sector, social and probation work, as well as sociology and psychology.

Learners can progress to Criminology from any study at Level 2, particularly GCSEs in Sociology, Law, Psychology, Citizenship, History and Humanities. The ideal foundation for students progressing to university, Criminology contains elements of psychology, law and sociology.

Year 1

Unit 1- Changing Awareness of Crime- Internally assessed

The unit will enable the learner to demonstrate understanding of different types of crime, influences on perceptions of crime and why some crimes are unreported.

Unit 2- Criminological Theories- Externally assessed

The unit will allow learners to gain an understanding of why people commit crime, drawing on what they have learned in the first unit.

Year 2

Unit 3- Crime Scene to Courtroom- Internally assessed

The unit will provide an understanding of the criminal justice system from the moment a crime has been identified to the verdict. Learners will develop the understanding and skills needed to examine information in order to review the justice of verdicts in criminal cases.

Unit 4- Crime and Punishment- Externally assessed

In the final unit, learners will apply their understanding of the awareness of criminality, criminological theories and the process of bringing an accused to court in order to evaluate the effectiveness of social control to deliver criminal justice policy.

The course has four units with two units being internally assessed and two being externally assessed (exam).

5 GCSE’s at grade 4, including English and Maths.

The main purpose of the WJEC/Eduqas Level 3 Applied Diploma in Criminology is mainly to use the qualification to support access to higher education degree courses, such as:

BSc Criminology

BA Criminology

BA Criminology and Criminal Justice

BSc (Hons) Criminology and Psychology

LLB (Hons) Law with Criminology

BA (Hons) Criminology and Sociology

BA (Hons) Criminology

BSc (Hons) Psychology and Sociology

BSc Criminology with Law

Alternatively, the qualification allows learners to gain the required understanding and skills to be able to consider employment within some aspects of the criminal justice system, e.g. the National Probation Service, the Courts and Tribunals Service or the National Offender Management Service.